ARIANIE ACEVEDO - 4 yo - Worcester MA

Mother, boyfriend charged after Worcester child dies


Worcester, Mass.) - Police in Worcester, Massachusetts are investigating
the circumstances behind the death of a four-year-old girl.

That toddler was rushed to the hospital
Thursday night, where she was pronounced dead. Now, the child's mother
and the mother's boyfriend are facing assault charges.

Lymari Acevedo and Richard Castillo have been charged with assault and battery
upon a child causing substantial bodily injury and wantonly permitting
substantial bodily injury on a child.

http://www.necn.com/02/18/11/Mother-boyfriend-charged-after-Worcester/landing_newengland.html?blockID=413629&feedID=4206

Mother, boyfriend held without bail

DEAD 4-YEAR-OLD HAD NUMEROUS INJURIES

WORCESTER —

A 27-year-old mother and her 33-year-old live-in boyfriend, who gave
police conflicting accounts of what happened to the woman's 4-year-old
child before she died with bruises all over her body yesterday, were
ordered held without bail during their arraignment in Worcester District
Court this afternoon.

Lymari Acevedo, and her boyfriend, Richard Castillo, both of 23 West
Boylston Drive, were each charged with assault and battery on a child
causing bodily injury and wantonly permitting substantial bodily injury
on a child.

Police were called to their home at 5:45 yesterday for a report of a child being unresponsive.

The child, Arianie Acevedo, was not breathing when medical workers
arrived. Emergency responders administered medical aid at the scene and
transported the child to UMass Memorial Medical Center - University
Campus. The little girl was pronounced dead shortly after her arrival at
the hospital, about 6:15 p.m.

Emergency responders as well as the hospital staff observed signs of recent and past physical abuse on
her body, according to police.

The 4-year-old girl had numerous injuries and bruises on her chest, thighs, arms, shins, feet, buttocks
and back, according to court records. The child had a bruise on her backthat appeared to be the handprint of an adult. There was dried blood around the little girl's nose, she had wet hair, urine-soaked underwear
and rigor mortis had set in, according to court records.

Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said an autopsy was being
performed today and results are expected in a couple of weeks.

Ms. Acevedo and Mr. Castillo have separate lawyers, who entered not guilty
pleas on their behalf. They asked that a reading of the charges be
waived in court.

Authorities were searching the house for evidence and conducting additional interviews today.

The couple also has a 6-month-old daughter, who is now in the custody of
the state Department of Children and Families, according to authorities.

Their cases were continued to April 4.

http://www.telegram.com/article/20110218/NEWS/110219649/0/news03

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/2011_0219couple_bruises_on_dead_child_due_to_clumsiness/srvc=home&position=also

WORCESTER
— A 27-year-old mother and her 33-year-old boyfriend — behind bars in
connection with the horrific death of her 4-year-old daughter — blamed
the bruises and injuries that covered the girl’s battered body on the
child’s “clumsiness,” authorities said yesterday.
“It’s a horrible crime and we’re doing everything we can with regards
to the investigation,” Worcester District Attorney Joseph Early told
the Herald yesterday.
Police were called to Lymari Acevedo and Richard Castillo’s apartment
around 5:45 p.m. Thursday on a report that the little girl was not
breathing, according to court documents filed in Worcester District
Court.

When the cops and EMTs arrived, the girl, identified as Arianie
Acevedo, was not responsive. She was taken by ambulance to the
University of Massachusetts Medical Center, where she was pronounced
dead.
The girl “sustained numerous injuries and bruising” all over her tiny
body — on her chest, thighs, arms, shins, feet, buttocks and back,
according to court filings. Her back bore a “clearly visible bruise” in
the shape of an adult’s handprint.
Castillo’s explanation for the bruising was that Arianie was “clumsy
and walked into walls a lot,” according to authorities. In a separate
interview, Acevedo also called her daughter “clumsy.”
When the tot was found, she was wearing urine-soaked underwear and
had dried blood around her mouth. Her hair was wet and rigor mortis had
begun to set in, court documents state.
Under questioning by authorities, the couple gave different accounts of the girl’s injuries.
Castillo told police the marks on the girl’s arm may have been caused
when he grabbed it and “threw” her on the bed after finding her not
breathing on the floor. The handprint on her back, he said, came when he
“whacked” it to try and get her breathing. Castillo blamed other
bruises on the child’s “clumsiness,” court records said.
Acevedo admitted that she sometimes grabbed her daughter’s arms and
slapped her hands or behind when she didn’t listen, court records show.
Told about the handprint on Arianie’s back, Acevedo said she may have
missed a couple times and accidentally struck the little girl,
according to court records.
Castillo also told police he knew that a doctor had raised questions about possible abuse several months ago, records state.
But when police asked Acevedo about the doctor’s suspicions, she said
it was she who had pointed out the injuries to the physician. She said
she couldn’t remember a follow-up visit to the doctor about possible
child abuse, according to authorities.
The couple pleaded not guilty yesterday and were held without bail on
charges of assault and battery on a child with substantial injury and
permitting substantial injury to a child.
Early said he is awaiting the results of an autopsy before deciding whether to upgrade the charges.
A spokeswoman for the state Department of Children and Families said
it had no history with the family and is investigating the incident. The
pair’s 6-month-old daughter has been taken into DCF custody.